Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has hinted that team-mate Alvaro Morata has been a huge downfall for the club this season after a difficult term at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues currently sit in 5th place in the top flight and in danger of missing out on Champions League football for the second time in only three seasons – only a year after claiming the Premier League title in record fashion.

The losses of both Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic last summer left a huge void in Antonio Conte’s side that the Italian has thus far been unable to replace – especially the former of the two, with Chelsea unable to find a regular goalscorer in the Spaniard’s absence.

Eden Hazard remains the Blues’ top scorer with 12 league goals, while summer signing Alvaro Morata has managed just 11 since his record move from Juventus less than a year ago.

And Fabregas believes had the club had a more clinical goalscorer, they would not find themselves in the difficult situation in which they currently reside.

“I think the biggest regret maybe this season [has been] been up front, not taking our chances, because people can say we didn’t play well enough — which, maybe it’s true,” Fabregas told Sky Sports. “We have had many, many chances to score in games — to win games that we didn’t win, games that we drew.

“We could have won more if we had been more clinical and that’s been our weakest point this season.”

Chelsea have had some saving grace in the goal-scoring department however since the arrival of Olivier Giroud from Arsenal in January.

The Frenchman has played a huge role in the club’s recent resurgence, scoring four goals in five to help his side reach the FA Cup final and reignite their challenge for a top four finish.

And Fabregas says the Frenchman’s addition has been a huge boost for the club.

“Oli is helping us a lot in certain things that maybe we were lacking,” he said.

“The most important is he is scoring big goals, which is what we ask — especially me as a midfielder. This is what we want — the strikers put their chances away and make the team win points.”